Molecular dynamics simulation studies of 1,3-dimethyl imidazolium nitrate ionic liquid with water

The fundamental understanding of intermolecular interactions of ionic liquids (ILs) with water is essential in predicting IL-water thermodynamic properties. In this study, intermolecular or noncovalent interactions were studied for 1,3-dimethyl imidazolium [DMIM]⁺ cation and nitrate [NO₃]^- anion with water, employing quantum mechanics and molecular dynamics simulations. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed using a revised multipolar polarizable force field. The effect of water on ionic liquids was evaluated in terms of thermodynamic and dynamic properties. Thermodynamic properties included liquid densities ρ, excess molar volumes ΔV^E, and liquid structures gr. Dynamic properties included self-diffusion coefficients D of mixture constituents as a function of water concentration. The density of ionic liquid-water mixtures monotonically decrease with increasing concentration of water. A negative excess volume was obtained for low and high water concentrations, demonstrating strong intermolecular interactions of water with ionic liquid components. Liquid structures of ionic liquid-water mixtures revealed a tendency for anions to interact with cations at shorter intermolecular distances when the water concentration is increased. Diffusion rates were found to increase for all mixture components with increase in the fraction of water. A significant change in the diffusion rate was found at ∼0.3 weight fraction of water. However, the water self-diffusion coefficient was dominant at all concentrations. The ratio of water/anion and anion/cation self-diffusion coefficients was found to decrease linearly with increasing concentration of water molecules.